And Then There Were Less
by Wherever Girl
Summary: When several guests are invited to Claw Manor by Murdoc Niccols, things take a mysterious and even dangerous turn. Now it's a race against time to uncover the secret of the Hooded Claw legacy, as well as find out who's behind all the kidnappings! *Co-written by Mr. Cartoon.


Happy Halloween Everybody! As a special treat this year, Mr. Cartoon lent me the idea for a mystery-themed story, and over the past month we've both been working on it. It's kind of like a parody of the Family Guy episode "And Then There Were Fewer", as well as has some references from the movie "Clue". We hope you all enjoy!

Special Thanks to Mr. Cartoon for co-writing and sharing some ideas along the way.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the cartoons shown in this story, and Mr. Cartoon owns Shawn K.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was a beautiful morning in Toontown, CA. It was a nice little place located in the Burbank area, where many cartoon stars lived. On one particular street, Star Street to be exact, where all the hot-shots lived, in a large house on said block, there lived a famous young man by the name of… Shawn K.. Cartoon All-Star Shawn K., to be exact.

Shawn exited his house, breathing in some fresh morning air, as he walked to his mailbox, just as the neighborhood mailman was coming along… looking all scratched up. "Trouble with Garfield again this morning?" Shawn asked.

The mailman nodded, then handed him his mail. "Here's your mail, Shawn."

"Thank you. Have a good day."

"I will once I get more medical insurance."

Shawn walked back inside, going through the mail as he entered the main room. "All employees! Report to the main room! It's mail time!" he announced into a speaker.

In walked his servants: his maid, Nanny; his butler, Cadbury; and his chef, Louie. "Ooh, what's come in the mail for us today, Shawn?" Nanny asked.

"Lets see, shall we?" Shawn handed her an envelope. "For you Nanny, a letter from your friend down in Germany." he turned to Cadbury, handing him a magazine. "For you, Cadbury, the latest issue of Butler's Delight."

"Why thank you, Master Shawn." Cadbury replied with a bow, looking over his magazine.

Shawn then handed Chef Louie a pamphlet. "For you Chef Louie, a recipe for your Crab Soufflé." he paused just then when he noticed a spare envelope in his hand. "And, hello what do we have here? It's an invitation for me."

"Where to, Monsieur Shawn?" Chef Louie asked.

"Well apparently, I've been invited to attend a special overnight dinner party at Claw Manor on the other side of Toonsville." he read the message out loud. "'The party begins Friday night at 6 PM. So bring your best dinner clothes, pack an overnight bag, and prepare to have fun.'"

"My, what a delightful surprise! You should see if any of your friends would like to join." Nanny suggested.

"Well that's not a bad idea Nanny. It does say I can bring up to two guests with me to Claw Manor. So, do any of you want to accompany me?"

"As much as I would enjoy coming Master Shawn, I was hoping to enjoy a well deserved rest tonight and catch up on the Butler's Delight issue." Cadbury replied.

"Oui, and I shall be busy working with my recipe," Chef Louie added, retreating to the kitchen.

"I would love to, Shawn, but my party days are well over." Nanny said with a chuckle. "I may just spend the evening replying to my friend."

Shawn shrugged. "Suit yourselves, but you're gonna miss out on all the fun."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later at 4 o'clock, Shawn stood out front, loading his bags into the car. He then turned to his servants. "Okay, looks like I'm all set here! Now are you sure you three can take care of yourselves while I'm gone until tomorrow?" he asked.

"I assure you, Master Shawn, we three shall take rather good care of your home until you return." Cadbury said.

"Yes. Cadbury and I will keep everyone in line," Nanny agreed.

Shawn smiled. "Okay Nanny, I trust you." he then got into his car, pulling out. "Well I'm off everyone, see you all back tomorrow!"

The servants waved him farewell, as he drove down the street.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The manor was located at the end of a long dirt road clear on the outskirts of town, at least an hour-and-a-half drive, and by the time the sun began to set dark clouds began to roll in, preparing to unleash a mighty storm, as well as setting a foreshadowing scene of the events to come.

The first two guests to drive up the road were Horace and Jasper, the two lackeys having finally gotten some time off from Cruella's demanding labor tasks. "Well, there it is, Horace. Claw Manor," Jasper said, putting away a map. "About time a pair of upper classmen like ourselves were invited to a dinner party, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, I suppose kidnapping puppies finally moved us up in the world," Horace replied.

They pulled up to the gate, where they got a good view of the manor- it was a tall Victorian manor, shadowed over by the dark clouds, with only a few windows showing some glowing lights inside, lightening flashing as if to make the domain more ominous.

Horace scratched his head. "Jasper… was Claw Manor once owned by a DeVille?"

"I was wondering the same thing myself." Jasper replied. "Well, don't just park the car here, you twit! We'll be late!"

Horace pulled in, where a Valet was waiting for them. "Hello, I'm Max Goof. I was hired to park cars for the guests this evening," he said, holding out his hand.

Horace handed him the keys. "Eh, just don't get a scratch on it, kid. We just got it a paint job!" Jasper said, sternly.

Max looked at the run-down jalopy. "I'd demand a refund," he said out of the corner of his mouth, before climbing into the car to go park it.

Horace and Jasper entered the mansion, the latter letting out a descending whistle at the size of the main room and the décor, with deep-red carpeting, a golden chandelier up above, and a few priceless statues and paintings here and there. "Would you get a load of this, Horace? I'll bet there ain't a thing in here that wouldn't be worth swiping,"

Horace reached for a little golden statue of an angel. "Yeah, may be worth a good thousand or two-" he said, until Jasper caught him and bonked him on the head.

"Mind your manners, you clot! …We eat first, then browse later."

The door opened, and in walked three other guests- Ed, Edd, 'n' Eddy."I can't believe we had to walk THIRTY MILES to get here!" Eddy was griping.

"Well, I told you we should have packed some spare tires as a precaution, especially since you should recall how reckless Ed tends to get when steering any form of transportation," Edd (or Double D as he was called) informed him, then turned to Ed. "No offense, Ed."

Ed only stood there, smiling a goofy grin… while holding what appeared to be the remains of a horse-cart, him having the horse's place. "I could not read the speed limit, Double D," he replied.

Once he got a good look around, Eddy's eyes widened. "Check this place out! This guy must have a fortune!" he exclaimed, dollar signs in his eyes. "I wonder if he gives away any valuable door-prizes…"

Double D sighed, then noticed Horace and Jasper. "Fellows, I do believe we're in the presence of company," he whispered to his two friends, before walking up to the first two guests. "Good evening, gentlemen. I take it you've been invited to partake in the festivities tonight as well?"

"Either that or they broke in," Eddy said, then turned to Ed. "Get ready to use your head as a battering-ram, lumpy."

"Yes, we were invited," Jasper sneered. "And watch your mouth, boy, if you want to keep your teeth."

Eddy growled, but before he could do anything, the door opened once more, and in walked two more guests, Homer and Marge Simpson. "I don't see why we had to come out here," Homer was whining. "If this guy wanted to invite us to dinner, why couldn't we have met at an Olive Garden or something?"

"Homie, don't complain. It's nice to get out of town for an evening, and it was generous to be invited to such a lovely place!" Marge said, looking around at the room in fascination.

Homer merely crossed his arms. "Not if it's during Football season…" he then noticed a crystal statue sitting on an end-table, him and Ed both staring at it. "Oooh… shiny."

"Shiny, ooooh…" Ed agreed.

Marge then noticed Horace and Jasper. "Oh my! Are you two guests?" she inquired.

"Indeed they are," Double D answered.

"Do forgive our appearance, ma'am, but we didn't have much time to dress up." Horace said. "You see, we just got back from a job swiping puppies for our boss-"

Jasper elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up!" he hissed. "You want them to call the police?"

"What for? We botched the job!"

Jasper elbowed him again. "Hush!"

Eddy sneered. "Great, I'm going to be having dinner with some shady characters," he commented.

"I'm sure they're thinking the same about you, Eddy." Double D remarked.

*Crash!*

Everyone looked over, seeing the crystal statue was now on the floor in pieces. Homer and Ed quickly pointed at each other. "He did it!" they both cried.

"Homer…" Marge groused, while Double D face-palmed.

While Marge dragged her husband off by the ear for a good scolding and Double D gave Ed a lecture on respecting other people's property, Doctor Eggman arrived.

"Hmm, nice place." Eggman said. "Maybe I should consider make my future palace as beautiful as this home."

"Oy, Jasper, look over there!" Horace whispered, elbowing Jasper. "Didn't we see that guy once on 'What's My Crime'?"

"I don't know… At least we won't be the only strange-looking blokes here," Jasper replied… then noticed Ed was now spinning on a globe. "Actually, we might just appear normal compared to him."

While Doctor Eggman browsed around, three more guests walked in… being younger than the rest. They were Jake, Izzy, and Cubby.

"Wow! Look at this place." Jake said with amazement.

"It's so beautiful!" Izzy said.

"Yeah! No wonder we were invited to have dinner here." Cubby added. "Glad we got here before the rain came down."

As the kids looked around, in walked another guest, Ash Ketchum. He too was in awe at the set up of Claw Manor & how beautiful it looked.

"This place looks awesome!" Ash said. "I'll bet however lives here must be really wealthy."

"I'll say. Hey, you're Ash Ketchum from those pokemon tournaments!" Jake said, recognizing him. "Did you bring any pokemon with you?"

Ash grinned. "Just a couple. Want to see one?" The young pirates nodded eagerly.

The door swung open as Katrina Stonehart walked in, looking quite cross. "Hmph. I've seen better," she sneered, looking around. "If I wasn't in need of a weekend off so bad, I'd head out."

"Hello there madame, what is a lovely woman like yourself doing in a place like this?" Doctor Eggman asked.

"Right now, wondering where the heck the butler is." she looked at Ash, seeing him summon a Squirtle to show to Jake, Izzy, and Cubby. "Ugh, put that… that repulsive, mutated, pitiful thing away! It's cuteness is disgusting!"

Squirtle began to weep and automatically retreated back into its pokeball. "Hey, watch your mouth, you mean ol' hag!" Ash snapped.

"Ah can it, ya dumb teenager! Just keep your dumb pets away from me, otherwise I'll turn them into my next wardrobe," With that, Katrina walked off. "Now, where's the butler?! And who's going to carry my bags up to my room?!"

For some reason, Horace and Jasper felt Katrina had a relation to Cruella, after hearing her ramblings.

Eddy was preparing to use Ed to clock Katrina to get her to shut up, when another set of guests walked in, being Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. "Like, careful parking the van, Max! Freddy will kill me if I come back with it totaled… again," Shaggy was calling to the Valet.

"Rhat a race!" Scooby exclaimed in awe.

"Ugh, great… a dog." Katrina scoffed, snobbishly. "As if I never see ENOUGH of them,"

"Don't mind her, I think she's a bit grouchy from her drive over here," Marge said to Shaggy and Scooby.

"I can see why- she probably had to listen to herself talk," Ash quipped, making the Neverland pirates chuckle.

"I have to say, this place is a lot less spooky than the outside," Shaggy said… just as lightening flashed, and he leaped into Scooby's arms.

The doors opened and in walked Professor Heinz Doofenschmirtz. "It's a lot more dry, too." he quipped, looking soaked to the bone, giving everyone the hint that the rain began to pour. "None of you would happen to have a towel, would you?"

"Maybe the butler will bring one… if we can find him," Jake replied.

"Ah, forget it. I-I'll just go stand by the fireplace," Heinz walked over to the living room, standing by the fireplace, and began a conversation with Doctor Eggman.

Afterwards came Mr. Charlie 'The Amazing' Chan, and his son, Flip. "Too bad the others couldn't come along… this place looks awesome!" Flip said.

"I would agree Flip. But the invitation stated that I could only be allowed to bring up to 2 guests to accompany me." Mr. Chan said. "Luckily your big brother offered to watch your siblings while we're away."

"Like, don't we know them from somewhere?" Shaggy asked Scooby, who shrugged.

Once more the doors opened, and once again two more guests entered, being Eustace and Muriel Bagg. "Oh, I do wish we could have brought Courage along with us," Muriel was saying, gazing around at the luxurious manor. "I do hope your mother takes good care of him,"

"Ahh, whatever. Lets just get this night over with- where's the butler?" Eustace sneered.

"That's what I'd like to know," Katrina groused.

"You must be another guest. I wonder how many people have been invited?" Marge said as she started a conversation with Muriel.

"Yeah, any more and there probably won't be any food left!" Homer said, earning a nudge from his wife.

"Like, don't say that, man…" Shaggy whimpered.

"When do we eat?" Eustace sneered, earning a glare from his wife.

Just then the doors burst open and Mordecai and Rigby burst in. "OOOHHHHH!" they cried obnoxiously, striking poses as they did.

"Ah, great, who invited them?" Eddy griped.

"Eddy, Manners!" Double D said. "These two were probably invited as well."

While Mordecai browsed around (while keeping a close eye on Rigby), in walked another set of guests, Spongebob and Patrick. "Wow, talk about classy!" Patrick commented.

"I don't know, Patrick… I still think it spikes some resemblance to that Deville place," Spongebob replied.

"Oy, that's what we said!" Horace replied.

Patrick looked around. "Where's the food, though?" he asked, sadly.

"Food for Ed…" Ed agreed.

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry…" Homer added.

"Join the club," Shaggy said.

Cow and Chicken entered next. "Goodbye, mother and father! Have a safe trip home, see you in the morning! Byyyyye!" Cow was exclaiming while waving rapidly.

"I don't see why we had to wear these stupid suits," Chicken muttered, tugging at the bow-tie his mother made him wear. "I think we looked fine before!"

"I think you'd look better deep-fried, ha ha!" Eustace cracked, and Muriel hit him on the head with a rolling pin. "Ow! What did I do?"

"CHICKEN!" Ed exclaimed, running to hug Chicken, though Double D and Eddy held him back with all their might.

"Ed, please, try not to embarrass the other guests!" Double D begged.

"Let alone US!" Eddy added.

Chicken immediately dove behind Cow. "I knew leaving the crow-bar at home was a bad idea," he muttered.

Afterwards came Chowder and Mung Daal. "Food! Where's the food?!" Chowder exclaimed.

"Chowder, calm down! First, one must mingle with the guests, until we are invited to the dining room," Mung told him. "Now, why don't you go play with some of those other kids?" he shoved Chowder hard enough to make him slide across the floor and crash into something off-screen, then turned to Homer. "Heh heh, kids. They think they can get it all right now."

"Yeah… but they can't." Homer chuckled.

Mung Daal went over to hang his coat on the coat-rack, when he noticed a book sitting alone on a table, with the letters HC printed in it. "HC? What could that stand for?"

"Maybe it's a school yearbook," Mordecai guessed. "Or a diary,"

"Lets take a look!" Eddy exclaimed, trying to grab the book, but Rigby tackled him.

"No way! I want to see it first!" Rigby shouted.

"Relax boys, it's not a diary!" Mung said, looking at the book. "Just looks like an old family album." he then noticed Chowder was swinging from the chandelier. "Chowder! Get down from that chandelier this instant!"

As they continued mingling (while Mung was using a long grabber-pole to get Chowder down), Grandpa Phil walked in. "Anyone know where the nearest restroom is?" he asked.

"Don't ask us, we just got here." Shaggy replied.

He held his stomach. "Ooh, I knew I shouldn't have had Pookie's home-made watermelon cookies…"

"Backing away now…" Mordecai narrated, sliding away from Grandpa Phil.

"Exactly how many people were invited here, again?" Marge asked for the second time.

"I don't know, but if they keep coming in, we might need a bigger house," Eddy replied.

"Are you kidding? This house could fit 200 people! It's huge!" Flip exclaimed, sliding down a banister.

"Hmph. Not big enough," Eggman sneered.

"Hey, didn't I see you at an Evil Villain convention last summer?" Doofenschmirtz asked him.

While everyone else was deep in conversation, Shawn K. walked in. "Am I late?" he asked, and the room feel silent, everyone gaping at the celebrity in their presence.

"Wow, quite a place… almost as big as mine." Shawn K. said.

"OOH! CHICKEN, LOOK!" Cow exclaimed.

"Is that…?!" Rigby gasped.

"Cartoon All-Star Shawn K!" Horace, Shaggy, Scooby, Ed, Eddy, Ash, Spongebob, Patrick, Flip, Jake, Cubby, Izzy, Doofenschmirtz, Mordecai, Rigby, and Chowder all exclaimed… and Doofenschmirtz fainted.

"Who?" Katrina, Eustace, and Jasper all questioned.

"Shawn K! The host of Toontown's The Price Is Right, and famous celebrity," Shaggy explained.

"And we're standing under the same roof as him… Where's my autograph book?" Flip asked excitedly.

Suddenly there was a loud *bong*, and they turned, seeing 2D standing there with a teeny-tiny dinner-gong. "Now that you're all here, shall we move on to the dining room?" he asked.

"Who are you?" Spongebob asked.

"I'm 2D, the butler."

"Where were you ten minutes ago when I called?!" Katrina sneered.

"I fell deaf after hearing you the first time and therefore ignored you."

Suddenly Double D would notice 2D's eyes were nothing but pitched eyes.

"Good heavens Mister 2D sir, what happened to your eyes?" Double D asked.

"It's best I rather not talk about it." 2D answered. "Complicated stuff!"

"Where's our host?" Marge asked.

"He will be with us shortly. If you'll all follow me…"

Everyone followed 2D to the dining room, where a long table full of every kind of food imaginable was awaiting them. "Like… I'm in heaven…." Shaggy said, eyes wide, as everyone took their seats.

"Help yourselves to the food, and I shall retrieve your host."

"Hold it- I thought butlers served dinner one course at a time," Double D pointed out.

"Dude, give me a break! It's my first night on the job! What, were you expecting me to be like Sebastian Michaelis?" With that, he walked out.

"Touchy," Eddy sneered, then reached for a turkey leg until Double D slapped his hand. "Ow! What?!"

"One should always wait until everyone is present at the table before eating, Eddy." Double D told him.

"That's not stopping them," Ash told him, pointing over at Chowder, Homer, Rigby, Shaggy, Scooby, Ed, and Patrick, who were stuffing their faces as much as they could.

"…I just lost my appetite," Jasper grimaced after seeing them eat.

2D entered again. "Now announcing, the master of Claw manor, Master Murdoc Niccols." he announced, opening the door and allowing Murdoc to walk in. "…you'd better pay me extra for saying that,"

"Oh don't worry 2 Dence, you will." Murdoc whispered as he chuckled before walking to his chair.

"2 Dence?" Rigby whispered as he chuckled at that nickname.

"Welcome, to Claw Manor!" Murdoc announced.

"A little late for that," Katrina huffed.

"Hold it… how could you own Claw Manor? I thought it was owned by Sylvester Sneakly years ago!" Shaggy spoke up.

"Well, it just so happens I happen to be the great, great, great, great grandson of Sylvester. I was left with this manor a year ago after he decided to move on… scared off by the Hooded Claw," Murdoc replied, smirking at the last few words.

"HOLD IT! I've seen those 'Penelope Pit-Stop' cartoons, and Sylvester and The Hooded Claw were always the same person!" Katrina questioned.

"As old as she is, she probably witnessed the first pit-stop," Eddy joked, only to get smacked upside the head by Katrina. "OW! WATCH IT!"

"True, my uncle did have quite a dark past, but after one failed attempt too many, he decided to retire his evil identity and settle down," Murdoc replied. "However, there came, what he would call, the 'ghost' of the Hooded Claw. Someone else must have stole his old outfit and tried to scare him away, yet when that failed they tried to kill him- only to fail miserably each time until their death… yet their ghost now haunts the manor,"

"Now I'VE lost my appetite," Shaggy whimpered as he and Scooby held each other close.

"And you still live here?" Jake asked, surprised.

"Of course! My uncle left me this home before he decided to move on," Murdoc said.

"Can we just eat, already?" Eustace demanded.

"So this place is really haunted?" Flip asked Murdoc.

"I wouldn't think so. I think it's just a rumor made up, about The Hooded Claw returning to the Manor and taking hostages and causing a spooky mystery-themed event that everyone's seen before but still find entertaining," Murdoc replied, then smiled. "Besides, I didn't call you here to tell ghost-stories. I called you all here to make amends and be friends,"

Shawn K shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that," he said. "I think it's off to a good start,"

"Yeah, this might be a fun night, lets make the most of it," Grandpa Phil added.

*POW!*

Everyone screamed at the gunshot… they screamed louder when Murdoc fell out of his chair, blood on his chest.

"OH MY GOSH!" Double D shrieked.

"Does anyone see the shooter?! Someone call the police!" Ash cried out.

"Mung… I want to go home!" Chowder wailed.

"Everybody, CALM DOWN! We'll handle this!" Shawn K. shouted, drawing everyone's attention, and only slight whimpering from the kids was heard. He walked over to Murdoc's body, inspecting it with Mr. Chan.

"Very peculiar that our host got shot," Mr. Chan said, rubbing his chin, then tapped the blood on Murdoc's chest and smelled it. "…I had no idea blood had the same scent as paint,"

"And I had no idea someone would be trying to hold in a laugh after being shot," Shawn K. added, seeing Murdoc was trying to suppress a smirk and was lightly chuckling.

"So… it was staged?" Flip guessed, surprised. "He's alive?"

"Yes, and it would be nice to know what that little act was all about." Mr. Chan added.

Murdoc said up, letting out a laugh. "Alright, you got me, it was just a prank! Had to liven the party up somehow, right?" he laughed.

"Murdoc does this sort of thing every year, as his April Fool's tradition," 2D added from the doorway.

"But it's October!" Eustace pointed out.

"What better way to pull an April Fool's prank than to have it on an unexpected date?" Murdoc quipped.

"Boy, this kid's a real pro!" Chicken commented.

"Tell me about it! For a second there, I thought we were going to end up in some sort of cheesy mystery story!" Rigby laughed.

*Bzzzt!*

The lights went out just then, and everyone screamed again. "Why do these sort of things only happen in spooky houses?! Why can't they ever happen at Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory or something?" Shaggy whimpered.

"Good heavens, I've gone blind!" Grandpa Phil cried out.

The lights snapped on back then.

Grandpa Phil blinked. "Hey, whadd'ya know! I can see again! It's a miracle!"

"Miracle nothing, LOOK!" Jake cried, pointing at the floor where Murdoc used to be. "Murdoc is gone!"

"Might just be another prank," Jasper scoffed.

"This is why teenagers shouldn't be millionaires, they're so reckless," Katrina sneered.

"I don't think it's a joke this time, guys…" Shawn K. said, finding Murdoc's dress-shirt on the floor with the letters HC written on it. "Unless Murdoc likes to run around shirt-less,"

"Hope no fan-girls are nearby," Eggman said.

"Where did he go, though?" Spongebob asked.

"I don't know- hey, wait a minute. These were the same letters that were on that book in the hallway!" Mung gasped.

"Might we see this book?" Mr. Chan asked.

They all entered the hallway, only to find the book was gone! "Alright, who snagged the book?!" Mordecai asked, giving Eddy and Rigby suspicious glances.

"Hey, don't look at us! We didn't steal it!" Eddy sneered.

"It was left on the table while we all entered the dining room… perhaps it disappeared with Murdoc!" Ash gulped.

"That's it! I'm getting out of here!" Shaggy cried out as he and Scooby raced for the door.

The problem: it was locked. Typical.

"It won't open! It's locked!" Shaggy pounded on the door. "Max! Hey, are you still out there?! Open the door!"

"Oh my…" Muriel gasped, standing close to Eustace.

"How and why would a door be locked from the outside?!" Marge questioned.

"It's no use, Shag. Max isn't out there!" Mordecai said, looking out the window.

"Chicken, I don't want to be here now," Cow whimpered, then began to bawl. "I want to go home!"

"Everyone, don't lose your heads." Mr. Chan told the guests. "Everyone, gather in one room, and we'll try to figure this out."

Ed raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Is it time for dessert, yet?" he asked. The others just face-palmed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The guests decided to gather in the lounge, while Mr. Chan paced in front of the fireplace. "I believe it's obvious that someone in this house is responsible for our host's disappearance," he said, seriously. "Question is, who is behind it, and why?"

"Murdoc did mention he invited us here ot be friends and 'make amends'," Shawn added. "So it's easy to guess that he's done something to each of us that would cause us to get back at him. …Anyone care to share their motive?"

The room was silent, everyone exchanging glances with one another.

"Alright, I'll go first then. I met Murdoc months ago while I was on vacation, he and the Gorillaz were doing a concert in the area I was residing at that time. We met up, hung out, and everything was going well until he decided to pull a prank on me that was quite humiliating, and I told him I would get him back for it- but in a pranking sense, not a dramatic disappearing sense."

Mr. Chan walked up next to Shawn. "So you say. …Well, I happen to have a motive as well, as shocking as it sounds."

"You, Pop?!" Flip gasped.

"Yes. A long time ago, my oldest children, Henry, Stanley, Suzie, Alan, Anne and Tom, were performing in a concert, competing against the Gorillaz in an international all-genre sing-off, being the last two teams. Murdoc had poured itching powder on my kids before they were to go on, and they could not play their instruments. When I discovered this, I brought it forth to the judge's attention and Murdoc was to be disqualified- but considering he and his band were the only ones left in the competition, and my kids did not perform, he had no choice but to decline, only stating that the Gorillaz would be forbidden to enter next time. I wanted him to face punishment sooner… but I would not try to harm him, as it would not solve anything and would be a negative influence upon my children."

"I, too, have a motive." Doctor Eggman spoke up. "I had hired Murdoc as a lab assistant one summer. However, one day while I was trying to perfect a machine to dispose of a certain 'hedgehog' nuisance, he instead hacked into my database and launched a virus that shut down everything in my lab… all because he was downloading songs onto his iPod! Then he quit! I was furious and swore revenge! …But someone beat me to it."

"I remember Murdoc had stayed with us, once." Muriel said next. "He and his band got a flat tire on a way to a concert and needed a place to stay until morning. I must say, they were not the most polite guests,"

"Darn right they weren't! They kept hogging the television!" Eustace added.

"Anyway, by the time they left, my house was a mess, the fridge was empty, and I don't know what they did to scare my dog, Courage, but he wouldn't come out from under the bed for a whole week! I was very upset for their lack of manners… but I would have no reason to make Murdoc disappear!"

"I would! He was the one who lost the remote!" everyone gave Eustace a look. "Stop yer starin', I didn't do it, either!"

"I think I have a better motive," Doofenschmirtz said next. "A few weeks ago, I caught Murdoc doing the most wretched, horrible, unspeakable, ungodly thing ever! It made every evil bone in my body shiver!"

"What was it?" Ash asked.

"He… dated my teenage daughter, Vanessa!"

Everyone blinked. "…That's it?" Eddy questioned.

"I'm not finished! Two weeks later, they broke up, and Vanessa was upset about for three whole days… until she found a new boyfriend but more on that later…"

"Ah geez! I have a better motive than that!" Katrina snapped. "I had finally managed to find a way to bull-doze a rotten pound full of puppies, but the day it was supposed to happen, Murdoc came and hi-jacked the bull-dozer! By the time we got it back, my step-daughter managed to 'save the pound' and my chances were ruined! I didn't make him disappear, but I'm glad someone did!"

"Rhat a rotten woman," Scooby sneered.

"We have something against Murdoc, too!" Cow said. "A long time ago, I was playing in a park, and Murdoc came and ruined my sandcastle!"

"Cow, that's a stupid motive. Now I've got a real reason to hate the guy," Chicken scoffed. "I was collecting comic books and finally got the final copy, in mint condition. Murdoc came along and conned me out of it, claiming he would trade me for a one-of-a-kind, newly print, never-before-seen comic that had just shipped that morning, only if I traded my own. I did so, but it turned out the idiot gave me an old issue from 1977, worn out, pages missing, and being about Hello Kitty! …But I ain't no magician, so I couldn't make him disappear or anything."

"I remember being in a pokemon battle, when Murdoc showed up," Ash said. "I was close to winning, until he came and threw sweets at my Bulbasaur, distracting him from hearing my calls and getting defeated. Murdoc said he just wanted to share some candy with 'some cute animals', but I didn't believe him. I think he wanted me to lose on purpose- but I wouldn't make him disappear!"

"You think that's bad?! Murdoc messed up one of my scams!" Eddy huffed, crossing his arms. "It was the best one yet- guaranteed to rake in the dough!"

"…A petting zoo consisting of two squirrels, a snail, and Rolf's goat, Victor, isn't exactly a major business, Eddy." Double D remarked.

"Hey, kids were showing up! …Until Murdoc turned Victor loose and the dumb goat started eating everything,"

"I've still got bite marks, Eddy!" Ed added, showing his legs that had goat-like teeth-marks on them, and everyone shuddered.

"But our scams always fail for some reason or other, so we don't really have that much of a cause to bring any harm onto Murdoc- especially since I'm a pacifist," Double D told everyone.

"Scoob and I had a run-in with Murdoc one Halloween last year," Shaggy said next. "We were trick-o-treating, when Murdoc decided to follow us and scare us every time we hit a house, and made off with half our candy too!"

"Reah, re was a rerk!" Scooby sneered.

"But, like, we wouldn't do anything bad to him- especially if it involves a creepy disappearing act!"

"I remember meeting Murdoc, too!" Spongebob said. "He was fishing, and a hook was right by my house and… well, if you guys remember the first time we saw a fishing hook, you'd know that Patrick and I couldn't resist hopping on. The bad news is, we got stuck on it, and Murdoc reeled us up to the surface!"

"Oh no, then what happened?!" Patrick gasped. "Please tell me we got out of there alive!"

"Patrick you should know, you were there!"

"Oh yeah…"

"Anyway, Murdoc thought we were 'too small' and threw us back… but didn't give us back our pants! It was humiliating!"

"I let Murdoc stay at my Boarding House for three months, but he never paid his rent!" Grandpa Phil said sternly, standing up.

"He borrowed one of our videogames… then sold it online!" Rigby shouted, seething. "Then, when I went to chew him out for it, he sold me to a couple goons who wanted to turn me into a hat!"

"Murdoc sold us a dog, that turned out to be a crazy raccoon!" Jasper said… then paused, suddenly feeling an awkward moment as he looked at Rigby.

"He tried to get me fired from my job!" Homer said. "Then I would have gotten to stay at home for a long time and watch TV all day!"

"…why are you mad about that?" Ash asked.

"He didn't try hard enough! I'm still working!" Everyone rolled their eyes.

"He stole one of my cooking recipes and gave it to my nemesis, Endive!" Mung added.

"And he ate my thrice-cream, too!" Chowder sniffled.

"I suppose that's everyone," Shawn sighed, rubbing his head from so many motives (especially the pointless ones). He then noticed Jake, Cubby, and Izzy were quiet. "Unless… you kids have something against him?"

Jake, Cubby, and Izzy exchanged glances. "Well, yes. You see, a long time ago, Murdoc was in Neverland, and we invited him to play games with us," Jake explained. "Everything was going okay, until Captain Hook- an enemy of ours, though kind of silly- came along and tried to ruin our fun. We knew Captain Hook well enough to know how to outsmart him, but Murdoc got into a fight with him before we could tell him about it, and used explosives to destroy his ship!"

"That's when we told Murdoc we didn't want to play with anyone so… destructive," Izzy said.

"And scary," Cubby added.

"What would that have to do with you kids wanting revenge against him?" Shawn inquired.

"Oh, we're not out for revenge! …but we haven't seen Captain Hook since that day." Jake told him. "We think… maybe Hook might be after him for revenge."

"Oh? Well then where's this Captain Hook fellow, then?" Katrina scoffed.

There was a flash of lightening as a new figure stepped into the room. "Present," they called out, and stepping out of the shadows it turned out to be Captain Hook.

"Speak of the devil, and he'll appear," Eggman commented.

"Hook! What a coincidence, we were just talking about you!" Doofenschmirtz exclaimed.

"Wait a minute! What are you doing here?!" Shawn K. questioned.

"Why, I was invited, of course!" Hook explained. "I'm sorry for my tardiness, but the storm nearly blew me off-course. It's flooding the roads now,"

"But… the door was locked!" Shaggy pointed out. "How did you get in?"

"There was an open window in the parlor across the hall… but I didn't want to crawl in and look like some intruder, so I just borrowed the key under the mat."

"So the door's unlocked now! We can leave!" Rigby exclaimed.

"Race you to the door!" Chicken said, and they shot toward the exit.

"Hold it!" Flip called, making them freeze in their tracks. "You just heard Hook- the roads are flooded! Even if we could leave, we still wouldn't be able to go home,"

"What do you mean 'if'?" Eddy questioned.

"Well, Murdoc is still missing, and we need to find him. He might be in danger!"

"I believe Flip has a point, gentlemen and ladies." Double D agreed. "As Mr. Chan and Shawn K. pointed out, everyone here had a motive on getting back at Murdoc for his past deeds… I propose that we search the house for any sign of him, until the storm clears."

"Why don't we just call the police? I'm sure they can come by helicopter!" Marge suggested.

"Marge, when are you going to learn that all officers of the law are never any help in real emergencies?" Homer scoffed.

Mr. Chan gave Homer a glare. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'm with Marge. Lets call the police and have THEM handle this case!" Eustace huffed.

"The phone lines are out," came a voice, and 2D stood there, stepping out of the shadows.

"AAUGH!" Everyone screamed at his sudden appearance.

"Like, dude, you really need to get those eyes checked," Shaggy stammered, referring to the eerie way the lights reflected off 2D's features, namely his eyes.

"And… don't tell me… someone cut the phone lines?" Mung guessed, critically.

"No. Murdoc just never paid the phone-bills. We haven't had service for two weeks," 2D answered, holding up his cell-phone. "Which is really irritating. I always have to go out of town to receive calls,"

"Great, so the host is gone, the roads are flooded, and our phones won't work! What's next?!"

"I believe you should ask, 'who' is next." Hook commented, sitting in a chair now.

"W-What do you m-mean?" Cubby asked the pirate.

"Surely Murdoc told you the legend of Claw manor?"

"Well, some of it. He told us about how his uncle was chased out by the 'ghost' of the Hooded Claw and he inherited the manor," Izzy said.

"I see… but do any of you know of the Legacy of the Hooded Claw?"

"Legacy?" Everyone questioned.

"Oh, yes. I happen to be an expert on it- I do love a good villainous story, you know. You see, it all started with that Penelope girl, and her Anthill Mob friends. The original Hooded Claw had a tendency to abduct her so she could not complete any heroic tasks with her race-car career, and even tried to wipe out the Anthill Mob so they couldn't try to save her… Of course, anyone who watched the cartoon would know that Penelope had ways of getting herself out of such situations."

"I remember that… but what does this have to do with the 'legacy'?" Shaggy asked.

"Think about the plot of the cartoon, boy: The hero or heroine is kidnapped, and their friends are to be rid of next. That means, considering Murdoc is missing and we all are considered to be his closest friends, as he invited us here to make amends and all, the Ghost of the Hooded Claw will be after us ne-"

*Zap!*

The power went out, and once again everyone yelped in fear. "I have GOT to check the lighting in this place," 2D muttered.

Shawn K. ran to the fireplace, lighting a match and setting a log ablaze, giving the room some light. "Is everyone alright?" he asked.

"I think so," Muriel replied, a bit startled.

"Wait… Hook is gone!" Jake yelped.

Everyone turned, seeing that Hook's chair was indeed empty… and only his hook was left behind.

"Gracious! He's disappeared too!" Double D yelped.

"No duh, stupid!" Chicken sneered.

"Hey, there's a note…" Ash said. Mr. Chan picked it up and read it out loud:

_"It shall be a grisly end you'll meet_

_If the Hooded Claw is your next to greet_

_Leave the mansion or say a prayer_

_For there will be no safety anywhere!_

_Signed,_

_The Ghost of the Hooded Claw."_

"Now things are really getting suspicious… If the Hooded Claw enjoys abducting people, why tell everyone to leave the mansion?" Shawn K inquired.

"You got me, but I'm taking one of those options and splitting!" Shaggy yelped.

"Oh, you'd love to do that, wouldn't you? Skip the crime scene and make a getaway, right?!" Jasper sneered.

"What are you talking about, man?!"

"I'm thinking you just want to leave so bad because you're afraid you'll get caught! You're probably the ghost!"

"Dude, I'm AFRAID of ghosts, why the heck would I pretend to be one?! I'd scare myself!"

"Reah, re's rot rhe rhost!" Scooby added.

"Someone here must be. I suggest we go with Double D's idea and search the house." Shawn K. said. "We'll divide into teams so that we can cover more ground,"

"I suppose it would help save that poor boy." Marge said. "Homie, why don't you and I search the dining room?"

"Aww, can't we search around the television set?" Homer groaned.

"Hold on a minute! How do we know YOU TWO aren't working together?!" Doofenschmirtz interrogated.

"What?! That's absurd!" Marge gasped.

"I'm afraid Doofenschmirtz has a point- many of us came here with a friend or two, so it is possible that someone is working with a partner," Mr. Chan said. "I propose we each split up… but with someone different."

"But… what if one of us ends up with the Ghost of the Hooded Claw?!" Spongebob stammered.

"Then whoever split up with the missing person is the culprit,"

"But the other half of the pair would be gone!"

"This is WAR, Squarepants! You have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet!" Mung shouted.

"But I don't know how to make an omelet!"

"Ease down, guys. We'll all do this in the matures way possible," Shawn K. said, writing everyone's names on a piece of paper, cutting it into pieces, then grabbing Horace's hat and dropping them in. "We'll draw names. Whoever you draw, you pair up with, unless it's the person you came in with then you draw again. If there's an extra name left, that person will go with the last ones who drew. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded.

Shawn shook up the hat, mixing around the names. Everyone drew a name, and the teams were as followed:

Shaggy and Spongebob.

Mordecai and Double D.

Ed and Chicken.

Chowder and Patrick.

Katrina and Jasper.

Eustace and Grandpa Phil.

Homer and Mung Daal.

Horace and Cubby.

Ash and Jake.

Izzy and Flip.

Mr. Chan and Shawn K.

Cow and Scooby.

Eggman and Doofenschmirtz.

Marge and Muriel.

And Eddy and Rigby.

"Everybody got a pairing?" Shawn asked.

"2D hasn't," Cubby pointed out.

"That's because Eddy was the last to draw." 2D said. "And he picked Rigby… I'd rather take my chances with the ghost."

"You and me both, pal." Eddy sneered.

"I'd better go look for Max anyway. He might be in the garage listening to rock music, again."

"Oh, no you don't! How do we know you're not just using that as an alibi?!" Rigby sneered. "You're coming with us, you little sneak!"

"Who are you calling little, pipsqueak?!"

"Boys, you can mangle each other later." Grandpa Phil said.

"Yeah, the last thing we need is to be at each other's throats." Marge agreed.

"Well, in the words of Freddy Jones- lets split up, gang." Shawn K. said.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The first pair to draw were to search the basement… and Shaggy wished he had been seventh so he could search the kitchen instead. "L-L-Like, why do I always get stuck with the creepy places?" Shaggy whimpered as they stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the eerie darkness.

"Well… lets go down, I guess." Spongebob gulped.

"Right. …You go first."

"Oh, no, you can go first."

"Like, no, I insist. You first."

"No, no, no, you go ahead."

"After you."

"Age before spongy."

"Square before beauty."

Spongebob sighed. "Alright, how about if we go at the same time?"

Shaggy nodded. "Sounds good to me."

Sticking side by side, they made their descent… however Spongebob's shoes were untied, and he ended up tripping, grabbing hold of Shaggy for support only for them to fall down the stairs with a mighty *THUD!*

"Help! Something's got me! HEEELLLPPP!" Spongebob shrieked, pinned on the floor by Shaggy.

"Spongebob, relax! It's just me!" Shaggy hissed, standing up and helping the sponge up.

"Uh… I knew that."

Shaggy rolled his eyes, and they looked around the basement.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The second pair had to search the library, which Double D found to be fitting… while Mordecai found it boring. "Dude, there's nothing in here but books!" Mordecai scoffed. "Can't we just look around the pool or something?"

"But Mordecai, the library could be full of clues!" Double D said. "We could perhaps find a hidden will that the ghost might be after, or perhaps a journal that could give us hints on who it may be… haven't you've ever watched old mystery films?"

"Barely. I always fall asleep halfway through- until Rigby starts screaming." Mordecai browsed around. "Maybe the dude has some sports magazines around here or something."

Double D sighed. "I have all these intellectual ideas, and no one cares a bit." he muttered to himself, looking around a book-case, when he found a book with the HC initial on it. "Hello, what's this?" he pulled the book out, flipping through it, and gasped. "Mordecai! You must see- mmf!"

"See what?" Mordecai asked, turning around… only to see that Double D was gone, his flashlight laying on the floor. "Double D? Holy crap! DOUBLE D!"

There was an evil cackle, and Mordecai fled the room.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The third pair was to look in the pool room. Rather than investigate, Chicken decided to shoot some pool a bit… though it was hard as Ed kept stroking him. "Pet the chicken, pet the chicken…" Ed was saying.

"Ed! Do you mind?! I'm trying to concentrate here!" Chicken snapped, shooing him away. "Why don't you go look for some clues or something?!"

"Okay, Chicken!" Ed walked off-screen, while Chicken hit the cue-ball. He came back, carrying a large Statue of David. "Is this a clue, Chicken?"

Chicken shook his head. "Nope."

"Okay." Ed threw the statue with a mighty *CRASH!* then walked off-screen.

"Idiot…" Chicken sighed, then went around the table to shoot again.

Ed returned, this time carrying a porcelain Siamese cat. "Is this a clue?"

"Nope."

"Okay." He threw it over his shoulder with a *shatter!*, then walked off-screen. He returned with a plant-pot with a small Palm Tree planted inside. "Is this a clue?"

"Nope…" Chicken began to grow annoyed, slightly fuming.

"Okay." Ed threw it with a mighty *thud!*, then walked off-screen.

Unbeknownst to them, a secret passage opened from behind a rack that held the poles, and a cloaked figure slipped out, lurking towards Chicken… until Ed grabbed them and held them up high.

"Hey, Chicken! Is this a clue?" Ed called.

Chicken had his back to him, figuring Ed was carrying a ridiculous object again. "NO! Now pipe down!" he shouted.

"Okay." With that, Ed threw the figure out the window!

Chicken rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, why am I always stuck with the stupid ones?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Chowder and Patrick were sent to look around the bedrooms on the main floor. Chowder shakily looked under the bed, while Patrick took a peek in a closet. "No Hooded Claw under here!" Chowder said frantically.

"Same here, lets go!" Patrick stammered and they shot out of the room, stopping in the hall and panting heavily, trying to get their hearts to stop racing.

"I think *puff puff* we should find the others,"

Patrick nodded, still trembling. "Yeah, I don't like looking around by myself…"

Chowder gave him a look. "Well, you're not by yourself, Patrick. You got me here!"

Patrick stopped shaking a bit. "Oh yeah… It's not so scary now."

"Yeah. How about if we search that room over there? Maybe there's a secret snack stash hidden inside!"

"Oh boy!" Patrick ran into the room, with Chowder following. They looked in the drawers, closet, under the bed… but no snacks. "Rats."

Chowder looked around a TV entertainment center. "Videogames, movies, DVD player with Blu-Ray, XBox360, a map of Claw Manor with outlines of secret passages… but no snacks." he turned away, irritated. "Well, this stinks." his eyes widened suddenly. "Hey, wait a minute! …He had the complete set of 'Heck's Kitchen'! Neat!"

Patrick pulled open another drawer, finding a notebook reading 'Secret Plan: Do Not Read!'. "Hmm…" he said, rubbing his chin… then shut the drawer. "No snacks in here, either. Lets check another room,"

"Okay," With that, they walked out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Katrina and Jasper had the task of searching the recreation room, glancing over some art supplies, computers, musical instruments, and arcade machines. "Ugh, the things kids waste money on," Katrina sniffed. "Thank God he doesn't own any pets,"

"Who do you suppose this Hooded Claw bloke might be?" Jasper asked, shining his flashlight around the instruments.

"If I had to guess, anyone but me." Katrina gave him a look. "You and your friend appear to fit the prime suspect description. I heard a lot about you two puppy-napping… so kidnapping must be a step-up for you."

"Oy, what about you?! I heard talk about you trying to wreck a pound and replacing it with a condo! Making a kid disappear would fit your quality too!"

"Yeah, except I hate kids- my daughter being an exception because she's actually decent, like me."

Jasper rolled his eyes, finding the fact that Katrina had a daughter just like her to be more horrifying than the ghost. "Just keep poking around, there's got to be a trace somewhere,"

Katrina sat down on a stool. "If there is, let me know when you find it,"

Suddenly the wall behind her rotated, the other side being a blank wall. There was a scream and the wall rotated back into its original state, but the stool was empty.

Jasper, hearing the scream, spun around. "Katrina?! Blimey! The ghost got her too!" he gasped, then paused and called out to the wall. "Thank you!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Eustace and Grandpa Phil were in the living room, searching around… well, almost. Eustace was trying to get the television to work. "Darn power is still out!" he grumbled, banging his fist on top of the television.

"Would you quit bothering with that stupid TV and keep searching? There's a ghost running around kidnapping people!" Grandpa Phil reminded him.

"Ah, the ghost can go jump in a lake. Besides, he won't come anywhere near me and me mallet!" Eustace then whipped out his mallet.

"He won't come anywhere near me…" Grandpa Phil held his grumbling stomach. "Not with the bowel problems I'm having! You keep searching, I gotta hit the oval office!" With that, he rushed out of the room, heading for a bathroom.

"Hey, don't leave me here, you old coot!" Eustace shouted, stepping out into the hall and shaking his fist. He then saw Cow and Scooby walking down the stairs, looking frightfully nervous… and the old man developed a mischievous smirk. "Heh heh, I might as well have a little fun while I'm here…"

"There wasn't anything upstairs in the west wing," Cow said. "Which really makes me nervous… that ghost could be anywhere,"

"Ron't remind re," Scooby gulped.

"I'm sorry. It's just I'm so scared that, any minute now, someone might leap out and-"

Eustace leaped in front of them, wearing his large trademark monster-mask. "Boogah boogah boogah!" he shouted.

"RIKES!" Scooby yelped.

"AUGH!" Cow shrieked, and they both shot off in different directions.

Eustace took his mask off, laughing. "What do you know? It scares cowardly dogs AND cows!" he chuckled to himself.

A cloaked figure stood behind him, however, and used his own mallet to bash Eustace over the head, knocking him out and dragging him away!

By this time, Grandpa Phil returned. "Ah, that's better. Fine anything, Eustace?" he asked, looking around. "Eustace? …Ah, dang it! I forgot you're not allowed to split up in these situations! I'd better go find the others!" with that, he took off… a trail of toilet paper dangling off his foot all the while.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Homer and Mung Daal searched the kitchen, though Homer spent more of his time eating the food, while Mung looked over the cooking utensils. "Homer, could you stop making that slurping sound? You'll draw attention!" Mung whispered.

"Sthorry," Homer said with a mouthful of food.

Mung shook his head, then paused. "Odd… what's a meat-hook doing in a kitchen?" he asked, tugging on the hook…

Then fell through a trap door.

Homer walked by, licking his fingers. "Hey, where do you think they keep the beer?" he asked… then noticed Mung was gone. "Mung?! Mung? Oh no… I've seen this before! First they go after the whiny smart ones, then the obnoxious funny guys… and the hansom ones are the last to go!" he ran out of the kitchen, screaming. "Marge! Save me! Let them take you first!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Horace and Cubby were on the second floor, looking around the east wing, when they bumped into Ash and Flip. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Cubby asked, then noticed Izzy and Jake weren't with them. "And… where's my friends?!"

"Jake and I were searching up on the third floor. We came across two rooms and each looked inside… but when I went to check on Jake to see if he found anything, he was gone!" Ash said with a gulp.

"Izzy and I were on the same floor, we were checking out this toy-room and found a ball-pit, and we jumped in to play- er, I mean, figured there'd be some good clues hidden in it," Flip replied, a red ball falling out of his pant-leg. He then held up a black sock-hat. "But then I found this. I went to show Izzy, but she disappeared!"

"That's Double D's hat!" Ash pointed out. "But… he was supposed to be searching the library, how'd it get upstairs?"

"You think he might be the one kidnapping everyone?" Horace asked.

"I doubt it, he doesn't seem like the type who would hold a grudge against Murdoc, let alone looked too feeble to drag anyone away," Flip replied. "Lets go find my dad, he might have an answer."

They began walking down the hall. "Don't worry, Cubby, we'll find your friends," Ash assured… but noticed Cubby wasn't with them. "Cubby? …Oh, crud, not another one!"

"Blimey, they're dropping like flies!" Horace yelped.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Eggman and Doofenschmirtz looked around the dining room. "You know, normally I expect to relax on a vacation," the mad scientist said. "This is quite the opposite."

"Hear, hear," Eggman agreed, then noticed a candlestick on the wall that was slightly bent. "Huh, someone ought to fix this," he said, bending it upward…

A trap-door suddenly opened behind Doofenschmirtz, his heels over the edge and he almost fell in. "YEOW! Watch out!" he cried, leaping forth.

"That must be how the ghost made Murdoc disappear!"

"What gave you that idea? …Sheesh, just a few more inches and I would have disappeared. Watch what you pull, man!"

Eggman shook his head. "Just a few more inches… drats."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Mr. Chan and Shawn K. were looking around the 4th floor of the manor, when they found the missing book Mung Daal had found prior. "This must be the Claw Legacy book," Shawn said, showing Mr. Chan as he flipped through the pages. "And look! It has a family record here, going from Z-A,"

"Odd, why would they list the names alphabetically reversed?" Mr. Chan asked.

"It says here that it was a custom to make everything that was last be first- I guess because of the fact that in the cartoon the bad guy always finished last, heh heh. *ahem* But, I don't see Murdoc Niccols name here anywhere,"

"And the names listed from 'H' to 'C' have been torn out."

"I wonder if that's supposed to be a puzzle- like 'H' and 'C' standing for Hooded Claw, don't you think."

"Quite peculiar…"

They heard footsteps, and Muriel came running up. "Oh, thank heavens I've found you," she wheezed.

"Muriel? Where's Marge?" Shawn asked.

"I don't know. We were searching this lovely bedroom, when suddenly Marge let out a scream! I turned to see what was the matter, but she had vanished! …I'm afraid the ghost might've gotten her…"

"Show us the room you were searching," Mr. Chan asked, and Muriel led them down the hall to said room.

There, they found Doofenschmirtz and Eggman. "What are you two doing here? We sent you to search the attic!" Shawn K. demanded.

"We were, and that's where we found this!" Eggman told him, opening a wardrobe and pulling back some coats, revealing a hidden passage. "There was a portrait in the attic that hid the other end. I found it while searching,"

"YOU found it?! I was the one who fell through the canvas, so I found it!" Doofenschmirtz sneered.

"Well, I was the one who pushed you, so there!"

"Muriel said Marge disappeared in this very room… do you guys happen to know anything about it?" Shawn K. asked, suspiciously.

"If you're accusing us of kidnapping, save your breath! All we found was the secret passage, and that's it!"

"I suggest we investigate the passage. We might find something- or someone- in there." Mr. Chan said, and they all walked inside, going up a hidden staircase that led to a secret passage in the attic, which was practically empty save for a trunk of old clothes and some medieval weapons.

"I guess this guy isn't much of a pack-rat," Shawn K. commented.

"With a house this big, are you surprised?" Doofenschmirtz scoffed.

*BANG!* went a gun-shot, and Muriel and Doofenschmirtz both shrieked.

"ZOINKS!" came a well-known exclamation from downstairs.

"That sounds like Shaggy! C'mon!"

They ran downstairs, where they found that everyone else (who hasn't disappeared) had also rushed to the scene… seeing Shaggy slumped against the wall, his shirt having a red blotch on it. "I've been shot!" Shaggy cried.

"Let me see," Shawn said, kneeling down… then sighed and rolled his eyes. "Shaggy, that's paint! The same kind Murdoc used in his prank!"

"Really? Oh thank goodness, I thought I was a goner!"

"Speaking of goner… where's Spongebob gone off to?" Chicken asked.

"Like, he ran to find help after hearing the gun-shot…"

"I didn't see him, did any of you?" Patrick asked, concerned. Everyone shook their heads.

"Double D is gone, too!" Mordecai told everyone.

"We found his hat upstairs, right as the Neverland Pirates disappeared!" Flip added.

"Eustace vanished, too," Grandpa Phil said, making Muriel gasp. "When I was looking for him, I only found this toy weasel," he held up a stuffed weasel, which Cow had been carrying.

"Row's rone roo!" Scooby whimpered.

"What?" The others asked, not understanding him.

"Cow's gone too!" Shaggy translated.

"Oh man, Mom and Dad are going to kill me!" Chicken groaned.

"And Marge is gone as well…" Muriel sniffled, then held up what appeared to be a white mustache. "And when she disappeared, I found… this."

"If that ghost hurts my wife, he's got another thing coming!" Homer growled, rolling up his sleeves. "He can take that goofy-looking chef, but taking my wife is a whole different matter!"

"Mung is gone too?!" Chowder yelped, his eyes watering.

"Is anyone ELSE missing?" Mordecai asked.

"Just Katrina… though I doubt anyone's gonna miss her," Jasper replied.

"We'll have to search quick, then… and this time in a bigger group," Shawn K. said.

"Um… hold it. Where'd Eddy, Rigby, and 2D?" Ash asked.

"They were sent to search outside in the greenhouse…" Shaggy gulped, looking outside at the storm.

"Anyone else agree that splitting up was a stupid idea?" Chicken asked.

"C'mon, we'd better find them before anyone else goes missing," Mr. Chan said, and as a group everyone started walking.

Jasper nudged Horace. "Oy, Horace, this is our chance," he whispered as they walked in the back of the crowd. "While everyone's searching, we sneak away with as much loot as we can carry, and get out of here before the ghost nabs us!"

"But… what if he nabs us while we're looting?" Horace asked, shivering.

"Hey, he didn't nab us yet, did he? He might be aiming for more easier targets! We're too clever!" he pushed Horace towards a room, watching as the group kept walking without them. "C'mon, lets go before they notice we're gone,"

Horace only gulped but followed his comrade.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I HATE being outside!" Eddy groused as they walked around the greenhouse, which was connected to the mansion.

Of course, it wasn't exactly a 'green' house as all the plants were withered and dead, with old vines growing outside on the walls, and the roof was cracked, causing rain to drizzle in… mostly on their heads.

"Me too. Lets go back inside, there isn't anything out here but dead plants and puddles!" Rigby agreed.

2D stood nearby, with an umbrella. "I kept telling him that crack needed repair," he commented. "Perhaps I could fetch you guys some raincoats?"

"Can it, 2 DENCE! I told you, we're not letting you out of our sight!" Eddy snapped.

"Oh c'mon! What makes you think I did it?!"

"You're a butler, and the butler always did it! It's a plain fact!" Rigby sneered.

"A fact… in fiction stories."

"Oh, shut up already and keep looking! Bad enough I'm stuck with a loud-mouthed rodent," Eddy muttered.

"Excuse me?! Who's a loud-mouthed rodent?!" Rigby snapped. "Take a look in the mirror, dipwad!"

"Ah, bite me, flea-bait!"

"Gladly!"

Rigby lunged and he and Eddy got into a brawl. 2D only stood there, shaking his head… not seeing a cloaked figure behind him.

Lightening flashed.

2D had disappeared.

Eddy and Rigby kept brawling, not noticing his disappearance until everyone else came running in. "Look! Eddy's fighting the raccoon! Go, Eddy, go!" Ed cheered.

"Hey, Rigby, cool your jets!" Mordecai snapped, pulling Rigby off Eddy, both of them bruised and scratched.

"HE STARTED IT!" Rigby shouted.

"DID NOT!" Eddy shouted back.

Grandpa Phil covered his ears. "Of all the dumb luck, I had to lose my hair instead of my hearing." he muttered.

"Where's 2D?" Flip asked, noticing the butler wasn't present.

"He's right over there!" Eddy replied, pointing over… seeing 2D was gone. "What the…?! The creep must've gave us the slip!"

"When will this end?!" Chowder wailed.

"The minute we catch that ghost," Shawn K. said. "2D was the last to disappear… maybe there's a trace,"

Everyone looked around the greenhouse. "Hey, I think I found something!" Shaggy said, picking up a red wig.

"That looks like Katrina's hair…" Ash said.

"Wait, she's bald?" Chowder asked. Eddy and Rigby snickered.

Mr. Chan examined the wig, finding a black hair on it. "Hmm…" he said.

Suddenly, there were a pair of screams that belonged to Horace and Jasper. "That came from the lounge!" Flip said.

"Lets go!" Shawn K. said, and they ran down the hall to the lounge, finding that the two crooks were gone. He looked at Mr. Chan. "Wow, two in one go."

Mr. Chan walked over, spotting what appeared to be Jake's sword. "It appears that, with every kidnapping, the ghost leaves behind a personal item." he noticed. "Hook's hook, Double D's hat, Mung Daal's mustache, Cow's toy, Katrina's wig, and now Jake's sword."

"Obviously he's trying to scare us out," Mordecai said.

"And it's working," Shaggy whimpered as he and Scooby held on to each other, shaking.

"Well, as long as we all stand together, he won't nab another!" Shawn K. said.

Everyone's flashlights went out just then. Shawn K. rattled his around, only to find that he and Mr. Chan were the only ones left in the room!

"…Spoke too soon. Man, that guy is good!"

"But not good enough," Mr. Chan said, walking over to the fireplace, seeing that the fire had been put out… and a secret door had been left slightly open. "I do believe it's time we found out where all our missing guests went off to."

They crawled through the passage, entering a tunnel. On the ground appeared to be a little golden statue that was in the main hall, which Horace had been eyeing earlier. They continued on, seeing the trail was getting warmer as they found a trail of chicken feathers, and suddenly came to a larger hall where there were more tunnels off to the left and right, with signs above them to guide one to a different room on each floor.

"It seems this place has a secret passage for every room," Shawn K. said. "That's probably how the Hooded Claw got around, no doubt."

They continued along, finding a door at the end of the tunnel. Opening it, they found a large basement, where there were open shafts up in the walls, dim lights, and all the guests trapped behind a large cell that took up most of the room. "Dad! Over here!" Flip whispered, waving them over. "Hurry, before the Hooded Claw comes back!"

Finding the keys on the wall, they released the guests. "How'd he abduct the rest of you so fast?" Shawn K. asked Shaggy.

"Like, he didn't. That lounge is full of trap doors!" Shaggy said, pointing up at the shafts. "Those who didn't get nabbed by the ghost stumbled on one and fell down into the cell."

"Do those of you who were grabbed know who the ghost is?"

"No, we got knocked out, and when the ghost came down to throw someone in the cell it was too dark to see their face," Izzy replied.

"Do not worry, we know who the ghost is." Mr. Chan replied.

"We do?" Shawn K. asked.

"Who is it?" Murdoc asked.

"Whoever has the missing page from the Hooded Claw Legacy book," Shawn K. said. "Apparently, there's a vital clue in there that our ghost didn't want anyone to see. Everyone empty your pockets and take off your hats."

Everyone did so… though Katrina stood still. "I don't have any pockets," she sniffed.

"No… but that wig you're wearing works just as well," Mr. Chan said. "If you wouldn't mind…"

Katrina gasped, offended. "How dare you! I haven't heard anything so rude in my whole-"

"Yoink!" Rigby exclaimed, ripping off her wig. Katrina shrieked and covered her bald head.

Out of the wig fell out a piece of paper- the missing page from the book! "Just as I thought. Shawn, when we looked at the book, the headings under H through C were missing."

"But 'Katrina Stonehart' doesn't start with either letter," Shawn K. said.

"No… not unless you spell her name with a 'C'," Mr. Chan held up the page, showing Katrina's name spelled with a 'C', beneath a picture of hers. "And her maiden name had been Haggard."

"That sure sounds accurate," 2D joked.

Katrina sneered. "Alright, yes. I did it! I wanted to get back at Murdoc for what he did!" she confessed, bitterly. "Not only that, but I wanted to get rid of everyone so no one would catch me!"

"But you were in the cell with us, how did you keep kidnapping people?" Cubby questioned.

"She never entered the cell. Those passages we saw in the tunnel led to a different room, including the Recreation Room where she was searching," Shawn K. replied. "She also knew how to trigger the trap-doors so to capture others within the same minute, just to baffle everyone."

"So, she's an heir to the Hooded Claw?" Captain Hook asked.

"Yeah, except my uncle gave the fortune and manor to THIS brat instead!" Katrina snarled, pointing at Murdoc.

"It's not my fault he liked me better than some bratty niece of his," Murdoc huffed.

"The game's over, Katrina. Time to turn yourself in," Shawn K. said.

Katrina took out a gun, aiming it at the crowd. "No one move! I figured something would go awry, considering the pattern of the Claw legacy… so I came prepared." she sneered. "Nobody move! If anyone tries to follow me, you're going to get a bullet in the chest- a REAL one!"

"I've been shot enough tonight, thank you!" Shaggy stammered.

Katrina ran out of the secret room. "Shouldn't we go after her?" Mung Daal asked.

"Do not worry, everybody." Mr. Chan said. "There's one thing Katrina forgot about. You remember that valet Murdoc hired?"

Murdoc arched an eyebrow. "I didn't hire a valet…" he replied.

Mr. Chan gave a grin and nodded.

Meanwhile, Katrina ran out into the rain to her car. Max stepped up behind her. "Excuse me, but isn't it my job to fetch the cars?" he inquired.

"Ah, beat it, you dog-faced brat!" Katrina sneered, trying to fit her car-key into the lock. "I'm in a hurry!"

*Clack!*

Katrina gasped as Max slapped a pair of cuffs on her while she was fidgeting with her keys, dropping the gun. "Alright, guys! I got her!" Max called, and suddenly several officers came out from behind the other cars, surrounding the place.

Everyone else ran out. "You had back-up all this time?" Marge asked Mr. Chan.

"Of course. Max was an undercover agent this whole time." Mr. Chan said. "The invitation did say I could invite up to TWO guests, so I called him along in case something were to happen. When something did, he was to use the Chan Van to go fetch the police,"

"I used Chan Plan 18- a monster-truck," Max said, swinging the kids.

"I would've gotten away with this, if it weren't for all you meddling-" Katrina started to shout.

"Yeah, yeah, we've heard the line before, lady!" A cop sneered, pushing her along.

"Yep, we should have known- Detective Chan always gets his man." Shawn K. said.

"Katrina was a man?" Patrick asked.

"I knew it! You owe me five dollars!" Homer exclaimed, turning to Grandpa Phil.

Everyone else rolled their eyes. "Can we have dessert now?" Chowder asked.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**That's the way it could have ended…**

**But how about this?**

"Whoever has the missing page from the Hooded Claw Legacy book," Shawn K. said. "Apparently, there's a vital clue in there that our ghost didn't want anyone to see. Everyone empty your pockets and take off your hats."

Everyone did so. "Well, I've got nothing." Mung said, pulling out all his pockets. "C'mon, Chowder, lets get to bed. Tell us who ends up behind bars tomorrow!"

"Not so fast, Mung Daal… you've got something in your mustache!" Shawn reached into Mung's mustache, taking out the paper and looking it over. "The headings H through C were torn out of the book… Now, we know 'Mung Daal' doesn't start with either letters- but 'Herb Calamari' does."

He held up the book, showing Mung's picture over the name. "Hey, Mung, this guy looks just like you!" Chowder gasped.

"It IS him, you little nutcase," Eustace sneered.

"That was an alias you once used years ago Mung, before you went to find a career in cooking," Mr. Chan said. "You were once part of the Hooded Claw Legacy… yet you did not want to follow in your uncle's foot-steps, so you left and changed your name, leaving the inheritance to go to Murdoc. …And yet you still kidnapped the other guests."

Mung began to weep. "I'm sorry! When I found the book, I was reminded of the legacy, and I was worried that if anyone found out it would ruin my business!" he confessed. "It's basically how Murdoc got away with giving my recipes to Endive- he black-mailed me for them under her orders! (Up until he found something to blackmail her back with). I was worried he'd do it again, and so I kidnapped him! I thought I'd just get him out of the spot-light long enough for just the night, but then we all started investigating, and I knew sooner or later someone would discover the secret!"

"That's also why you knew so much about the hidden passages and trap-doors, like the one you used in the kitchen where you were searching, to make it look like you were just another victim!" Shawn K. added.

Chowder's eyes began to water. "Why, Mung? Why'd you do it?" he whimpered.

"I'm sorry, Chowder! Peer pressure makes one panic! I wasn't thinking!" Mung sniffled. "I… I guess the catering business will be closed for a long time… while I'm in jail."

"Oh, we won't send you to jail, Mung..." Shawn K said.

"You aren't? What a relief!"

"Nope- we're going to tell your wife instead."

Mung developed a panicked expression. "No! Not my wife! Anything but that! I'd rather go to jail! Please, HAVE MERCY!" He ran after Shawn K., who went to use the phone, now that the power was back on.

"I guess some things are worse than doing time," Spongebob said with a shrug.

"Yeah, Mung's going to be doing time with his wife," Mordecai said with a smirk, as he and Rigby suddenly struck poses, repeatedly double-pointing at each other.

"Mung's doing time with his wife! Mung's doing time with his wife!" they rapped… sort of.

"Would someone shut these guys up?!" Eddy shouted, covering his ears.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

**But, that's not what happened.**

**Here's the real ending…**

"Whoever has the missing page from the Hooded Claw Legacy book," Shawn K. said. "Apparently, there's a vital clue in there that our ghost didn't want anyone to see. Everyone empty your pockets and take off your hats."

"No need to ask, Shawn K.," Mr. Chan spoke up. "I believe the one who has the page… would be the same one who knew where to find the door-key under the mat, AND knew about an open window in the foyer, which is located on the other side of the manor away from the front door." he then turned to the suspect that fit that description. "Isn't that correct… Captain Hook?"

Hook smirked, then took out the page from his coat. "If my initials are on this page, you are correct," he said.

"So it was Hook all along!" Jake gasped.

"No, really? I thought it was Mung!" Doofenschmirtz said, sarcastically. Mung gave him a dirty look.

"Yes, I am an heir to the Claw legacy- in fact, I'm the only heir." Hook told them.

"What about Murdoc?" Ask questioned.

"Ha! I hired him to take the role. That's how I managed to kidnap so many of you- he helped me snag some of you, both of us switching out of the cell at a time. It was so dark no one noticed."

"True. Hook said that if I helped, he'd forget about that 'explosive' incident, and give me and 2D the manor," Murdoc replied. "I'd pretend to be a host, and he'd be a guest."

"So it wasn't about vengeance… yet why did you kidnap everyone else?" Shawn K. questioned.

"To uphold the legacy! Sneakly was too soft, giving up on abducting his foe, so I decided to pick up where he left off… right after scaring him out of the manor! Then I called each of you over, knowing that causing you all to disappear would make headlines and strike fear into the hearts of millions, and then I would bring honor and glory back to the Claw name!"

"But we figured it out. The game's over, Hook." Izzy said.

"Not true…" Hook said, taking out a gun and aiming it at them. "I'd say the game's just begun! Oh, and just to warn you, this isn't a toy gun. I'd let you all go… but I can't have any of you ratting me out. Any last words?"

"Yeah. Catch!" Jasper shouted, throwing a crystal vase he tried to steal at Hook.

The pirate gasped, but caught it. "Ha! Nice try! That was a poor throw!"

"Was it?" Shawn K. questioned.

Hook looked, seeing that- because he only had one hand- he ended up dropping the gun in order to catch the statue. Gasping, he dropped the statue to grab the gun, but Murdoc grabbed it first. "Murdoc, there's a good lad. Hand it here!"

"I don't think so. You see, Hook, I like pulling a prank or two, but I wasn't lying when I said I summoned everyone here so I could make amends. I didn't really want to help you, I just wanted to do that- and get a manor while I was at it. I'm one for a whacked-out game of hide-and-seek, but I draw the line at murder," Murdoc sneered. "…That, and the electricity in this place sucks,"

"You… You traitor!" Hook then took off running.

"Quick, after him!" Eggman shouted.

"Not so fast," Shawn K. said. "I don't think he'll get far."

"What makes you say that?" Ash asked.

"Let's just say, I brought a guest along…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hook made it outside… but as Shawn K. said, didn't get far. "Hey, Hook, need a ride?" Max asked, stepping up.

"Yes, please!" Hook wheezed.

"Alright, if you say so," Max opened up a car door for him, and Hook dove in. Max then slammed it shut, and poked his head through the window. "There you go, gentlemen."

Hook looked into the front seat, gasping when he saw two police officers- Lucky and Bonkers. "What the…?! What's going on here?!"

"We got a call from a pal of ours to come with him to a party tonight," Bonkers replied.

"He said there was something suspicious going on, and had us stand by," Lucky added. He looked at Max. "This the guy, Max?"

Max turned to Shawn K. at the doorway, who nodded. "Yep. Take him away, boys." he replied.

"Noooo!" Hook cried out as the squad car drove away.

"Wait… how did you get the police here so quick? The roads were flooded earlier!" Marge asked.

"I called them before I came. I asked Max to come with me and pretend to be a valet, then told him to go get the police while I entered, taking a high-road that wasn't flooded."

"So… you knew something was going to happen?" Shaggy asked, stunned.

"I knew something was up. I knew Murdoc wasn't really an heir to Claw manor, so I took precaution."

Murdoc shrugged. "I have to say, you've all amazed me." he said, then turned to 2D. "Well, 2 Dence, we've caused enough trouble around here for one night. Lets go find a party somewhere else to crash,"

"I'm up for that," 2D said with a shrug.

"Hold it, Murdoc. You assisted Hook in kidnapping us… you don't think you're going to get away with that, are you?" Marge scolded.

"Hey, I just thought it would be fun, and plus- RUN 2D!" Murdoc said quickly, and the two shot off.

"Oh no you don't! You guys get back here!" Ash shouted, then summoned Pikachu. "Pikachu, go!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu shouted, zapping at Murdoc and 2D.

"Supercow!" Cow shouted, transforming into her superhero identity, said something in Spanish, and flew after the two criminals.

"Lets get those goons!" Eddy shouted.

"For once, I'm with you on that!" Rigby agreed.

While half the guests chased after Murdoc and 2D to make them pay for the awful frights they had that night, Shawn K. watched from the porch. "There's still one thing I don't understand…" he said to Mr. Chan. "Hook and Murdoc were both busy kidnapping everyone, having to switch out one at a time… but who shot Shaggy? I doubt they could do a double-task like that unless they both exited the cell."

"Perhaps it was just another prank," Mr. Chan replied.

Shawn K. shrugged, walking towards his vehicle. For some reason he decided to pause and look upward…

…seeing what appeared to be the original Hooded Claw watching from the rooftop, letting out a cackle and disappearing into the shadows.

THE END…?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0


End file.
